Civil war is a battle initiated between conflicting groups organized within the same nation. The main objective of each side is to have control over the given region, make policy changes in the government, or attain independence in a particular area. In the United States of America, a fierce civil war took place between 1861 and 1865, which destroyed many lives and properties (Shackel, 2022). The northern and southern parts of the US were the main fighters in the civil war. Later, the Northern part became successful because of its superiority, proper organization, and effective leadership. The primary cause of the civil war during this period was the high tension between the southern and the northern states concerning the states’ rights, slavery, and expansion to the western side. Moreover, American leaders also took part in the war, leading different fronts in the civil war.
The northern part became successful in the civil war, beating the southern part despite its geographical advantages and proper organization. The two rivalries were organized into groups consisting of different states. As such, the northern part named its side the Union, while the South was called the Confederacy. More money and resources were available in the union states, which made it easier to meet the needs of wartime soldiers (Eldridge, 2021). The soldiers received additional equipment that would aid in capturing the South. Compared to the South, they received food, medical care, and a weapon. Contrary to the South, which only had textile industries and plantations, the North had far more ambitions, allowing them to manufacture more weapons.
During the conflict, all southern ports were closed by union royal marines. This reduced the number of resources coming from either the southern side. It was impossible to bring cotton outside the South of the state after the sea was shut as a route of entry and exit. The advantages that the South had previously derived from trade were all lost as a result. This prevented the economy from supporting the resources it required to win the battle against the North (Eldridge, 2021). However, the Confederates were defeated due to their underdeveloped state during the war and the economic difficulties they experienced. Given their sway over the entire United States, the North was able to win the war. However, the effects were felt much earlier, in the 1950s, when the US created a highly robust industrialized economic operation in the North. The North’s technological achievements allowed them to stop relying on slave labor for its farms and industrial plantations (Rothera, 2022). In contrast, the North desired to keep the slavery that made them work for them.
Additionally, the railroad building in the northern state unions made it possible to transfer materials, food, and equipment to the proper locations where they could be used for various purposes. On the other hand, the South relied on slow modes of transportation, such as livestock like horses that could not reach some somewhat difficult locations (Eldridge, 2021). This allowed the state federation to access various areas that the South never could quickly. This indicates that the forces from the South faced a struggle to obtain the materials they required right away. Thus, this was the driving force behind the northerners’ social cohesion, in contrast to the South, which was socially separated and could not cooperate.
The abolition of slavery was one of the other elements that inspired the North to enter the war. This inspired the soldier who fought the war and served as an inspiration to defend the rights of others. On the other hand, the farmers in the North were also battling for stolen land, including vast plantations that the wealthy southerners had taken. The farmers had the perfect opportunity to reclaim their plantations and lands at this time, and it was also the only means by which the North could receive support networks from the neighborhood (Eldridge, 2021). The management of the armies on both sides might have also played a significant role in the North’s victory and the South’s defeat. A critical factor in determining whether each Army won or lost the battle was the backing from the community. Although it is documented that the South succeeded in several states, including Manassas, it did not appear to be led well in this region (Rothera, 2022). However, the South was primarily defeated due to the adoption of cheap military tactics and weak generals.
Abraham Lincoln, who led the Northern front in the civilization struggle against their southern counterparts, faced many challenges in initiating the process. The southern people had a geographical advantage over the northern team, making it hard for Lincoln’s led team to penetrate. The southern terrain privileged them to stage a hit-and-run strategy against the North, and as a result, they could attack and hide in their convenient places since they were familiar with their land. Moreover, the southerners had an expanded coastal line, allowing them to conquer the northerners easily. Lincoln’s other challenge was re-establishing army control (Rothera, 2022). Most soldiers in the Northern Army felt superior and had different views concerning the war. As such, there was much disorganization in the war-making the Southerner’s win in some states, including Manassas. Lastly, he fought hard to protect the Northern Union following the American Revolution’s dictates and the public’s opinions. In his bid, Lincoln faced opposition from lawmakers, army generals, and Congress, whose opinion was to fight and take over the southern part. At the same time, he only advocated for slavery abolition.
On the other hand, Jefferson Davies faced challenges in the bid to conquer the northerners during the Civil War. As the Confederate States of America’s commanding officer, President Jefferson Davis could not develop a workable state defense plan (Rothera, 2022). A high level of social division among the Southerners also caused many challenges to Jefferson during the civil war. As such, historians have argued that the Confederate states were under the influence of gender, regional, and class antagonism (Shackel, 2022). Davis’ team lost due to disunity, which led to one of his generals surrendering to the northerners in the Appomattox courthouse. Moreover, Davis attempted to balance his commanding position during the Civil War and the challenging domestic duties involved in managing a nation. His team faced an economic crisis as their rivals blocked their marine operations, resulting in insufficient fighting equipment funds.
In conclusion, the main reason for the civil war throughout this time was the intense hostility between southern and northern states on issues like slavery, state rights, and westward expansion. The northerners succeeded against the southerners because of their good governance and military organization. Moreover, they had a superior technological advantage against their rivals as they had developed industries to manufacture firearms. They had economic stability thanks to their industrialization and easy transportation of troops and firearms through well-established roads. On the contrary, the Southerners lost due to their poor organization. Abraham Lincoln faced the challenge of regaining popular support and control over the Army. In contrast, Jefferson Davies faced economic and organizational challenges during the civil war in the US.
References
Eldridge, B. M. (2021). The Ever-Evolving Historiography of the American Civil War. Graduate Review, 1(1), 7. Web.
Rothera, E. C. (2022). Arguing until doomsday: Stephen Douglas, Jefferson Davis, and the struggle for American Democracy by Michael E. Woods. Civil War History, 68(2), 212–213. Web.
Shackel, P. (2022). Negotiating the Memory of the American Civil War. In Cultural Encounters and Tolerance Through Analyses of Social and Artistic Evidences: From History to the Present (pp. 36-50). IGI Global.